Indians make most of chances, hold off Cougars

Skowhegan’s Lauren Leblanc fires a shot past Mt. Blue’s Samantha Ellis (5) and Leah St. Laurent during game Thursday in Farmington. Photo by David Leaming

FARMINGTON — Skowhegan expected a tight game from Mt. Blue for Thursday’s Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Class A field hockey clash, and that’s what it got.

“They’re one of the good teams that we like to play,” senior midfielder Lauren LeBlanc said. “They’re like our skill level, so it’s really fun to play them.”

Skowhegan’s Elizabeth York, left, and Mt. Blue’s Kayleigh Fontaine battle for possession during a game Thursday in Farmington. Skowhegan won 2-1. Photo by David Leaming

The Cougars created their fair share of opportunities, but their inability to see those opportunities through into quality chances showed how their young offense is still a work in progress.

For a lesson on how to finish, they need look no further than their guests, who converted two of their four shots on goal, just enough to hold off Mt. Blue for a 2-1 victory.

LeBlanc scored in the first half and Cassidy Clement added the critical insurance goal in the second half for the Indians (3-1). Hannah LeClair pulled the Cougars (1-3) within a goal late in the second half, but the Indians kept their cool and held on.

“That’s our challenge right now is getting the ball in the cage,” said Mt. Blue coach Jody Harmon. “We’ve got to finish the deal. We controlled play a lot and had it down in our end and had many opportunities, but we’ve just got to find some way to score.”

Despite controlling much of the first half, Mt. Blue managed just three shots on Skowhegan goalie Leah Kruse.

Meanwhile, LeBlanc cashed in on the Indians’ only shot of the half, collecting a Kealey Bowman near the top of the circle and firing past Mt. Blue keeper Erika McArthur with 21:12 left.

Clement made it 2-0 2:21 into the second half, setting up on the weak side in front of the right post and redirecting a cross in front of the cage.

“The mids did a really good job of getting the ball up into the circle and I tipped it in,” Clement said. “We’ve been working a lot on our offensive game. We’ve been working really hard on just talking and playing as a team and backing each other up.”

Skowhegan’s defense, led by senior Mattea Powers and freshman Elizabeth York, remained stout, allowing four shots in the second half. The Cougars finally broke through with 6:30 to go, when LeClair took a feed from Leah St. Laurent and launched a rocket from about 12 yards out to Kruse’s right.

“More of that,” Harmon said. “We’ve got to keep the intensity up, keep going at it. We’ll get there. We are young. We only have two seniors, but we’re working hard and gaining every game.”

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